Trio front invite list to Canada’s Hlinka camp

Gabriel Vilardi, Owen Tippett, and Maxime Comtois will all be in attendance as Hockey Canada selects its entry for the 2017 Ivan Hlinka Memorial from July 29-Aug 2 in Calgary, AB.

Vilardi, third in Future Considerations preliminary ranking for the 2017 draft behind Brandon forward Nolan Patrick and Swedish defenseman Timothy Liljegren, had 17 goals and 38 points in 62 games as a rookie with the Windsor Spitfires in 2015-16. He helped Canada White to gold at the 2015 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, scoring four goals and seven points in six games. He was picked second overall by Windsor in the 2015 OHL Priority Selection.

Tippett, ranked fourth, had 15 goals and 20 points in 48 games with the Mississauga Steelheads last season. He added five goals and eight points for Canada White at the World Under-17’s and was named to the tournament’s all-star team. Tippett also had one goal and two assists while representing Canada at the 2016 IIHF World Under-18 Championship in April. He was drafted fourth overall in the OHL Priority Selection by Mississauga in 2015.

Comtois, ranked fifth, had 26 goals and 60 points in 62 games with the Victoriaville Tigres last season, and had six assists and seven points for Canada Red at the World Under-17’s. He added two points for Canada at the World Under-18’s, too. He was selected third overall by Victoriaville in the 2015 QMJHL Entry Draft.

Matthew Strome (16th) of the Hamilton Bulldogs, Antoine Morand (19th) of the Acadie-Bathurst Titans, and Michael Rasmussen (28th) of the Tri-City Americans are among the projected first rounders also attending the selection camp.